Ever get a song stuck in your head?
Well, I have. I have been really experiencing it these last few months. I get a song snatch stuck in my head and it goes 'round and 'round. It has been sort of vaguely annoying, but then I started to pay attention to what the songs were and realized that the songs that got stuck were reflecting my feelings, or thoughts, or situation.
For example, I was shoe shopping with Heidi a few weeks ago (one of our favorite activities), when 'thin-soled, pointy-toed, high-heeled, girl-shoes' went whizzing through.
When one of my cancer buddies from the Gathering Place support group talked about his neuropathy, 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' erupted. That was a challenging one. Poor Mike was feeling rather down and dogged with this neuropathy, and I had to stifle the urge to burst into song. (That is a phrase that comes from my childhood. My mother was inclined to do just what I am talking about! I only just now remembered that. We would be talking about something and all of a sudden, she would burst into song. I think it annoyed Popop no end, engineer that he was.)
Last weekend was absolutely gorgeous. Daddy and I totally revelled in it. It was a beautiful last-ditch autumn day and we took two walks, not just one. 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Beautiful Day' from Oklahoma was running around.
Since June I have been chasing 'abdominal-digestive issues' and feeling like something was wrong, but not knowing what, and feeling quite blown-off by my oncologist. During this period, 'Slip-sliding Away' by Simon & Garfield was a constant companion.
This week the song that has been haunting me is another 60's tune, 'Why does the world go on spinning?' Actually, it has been hanging around for more than a week, but I couldn't figure out quite why. Life seemed to be fairly good. True, I was still chasing my intestines, but no one seemed terribly concerned.
Well, it turns out the tunes in my head were right. I was slip-sliding away, while my professionals said, 'Looks Good'. The world has stopped spinning for me, for a moment. Time is frozen, and I am slogging through mush each day, moment to moment. The tumor on my abdominal wall turned out to be pancreatic cancer. It's back and there is nothing they can do. I have no idea how long I have, but probably less than a year. Maybe considerably less than a year.
Anyone have a song for that?
Comments
Sorry, no song for that.
However, for three years now the song I mindlessly hum before I even notice is 'Queen of Carmel'.
How 'bout that for a cliche?!
I love you, Maman. And I'm pretty sure you'll come up with a song for this one, too. :-)
Posted by: Mara | October 14, 2006 2:09 PM
Somewhere Over The Rainbow comes to mind along with DoWahDiddyDiddyDumDiddyDo! There are many sad songs but they don't sit in my head for you. /there are too many chickens in this pot of soup!!!
Posted by: papa D | October 14, 2006 9:54 PM
I have a version of that song 'why does the world go on turning' and it is haunting (The end of the world by skeeter Davis). It's on the soundtrack for Girl, Interrutpted. The whole soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful.
Posted by: R.T. Bean | October 15, 2006 3:03 AM
Listen to Billy Collins' poem "More Than A Woman" here
Immediately thought of this... it's the last poem he reads.
Posted by: Mark Fojas | October 16, 2006 7:36 AM
Mara, I haven't listened yet, but I will when I get home. The song that sprang into my mind this morning was Kenny Rogers, 'You got to know when to hold them and when to fold them.'
Posted by: Ma | October 16, 2006 9:44 AM
Just so you know, that was Mark, and the poem is a comedic one about getting songs stuck in one's head :-)
Posted by: Mara | October 16, 2006 9:47 AM
Carolina in my mind maybe? james taylor .....
Posted by: zayn | October 18, 2006 7:37 PM